Whether Weather

With the cold and rain last week and the probable chilly rain today, I've gotten some questions:

Will we run tonight?
Are people still going to run?
Is TRY canceled?
Etc...

Here is a little diddy that works well with kids and with TRY:

Whether the weather is cold or
Whether the weather is hot,
We'll weather the weather,
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not!

(I stole it from a cartoon.)

TRY does not stop for rain. TRY does not stop for cold. TRY does not stop for cold rain. TRY only stops if the weather is putting my life at risk: thunderstorms, tornadoes, rogue waves, microbursts, or if it is literally raining cats and dogs (big dogs that could crush me on impact, not little dogs that just bounce off a windbreaker).

So, I will always be in the parking lot...no need to ask. But, if the weather doesn't inspire you, then stay inside. I don't expect anyone to actually show up and run in lousy weather, but the option is there and you can show up if you want to. Last summer/fall during the midst of an annoying rain storm, a few of us basically ran under a double rainbow. It was miserable and beautiful at the same time. Inspiration can come at the oddest of times and that is why I always TRY.

This will be the last week of the pre-season. So the run will be whatever steady distance you feel like running. Next week, brings April, and the first attempt to organize some speed work. Giddy-up! Dream about 1/4 mile intervals! Yummy.

TRY Preseason Continues

I've decided that March is going to be considered the pre-season and to keep TRY low key. For the next two weeks, the TRY run will be moderate paced distance. In April the speed work can start for those who are ready.

In my first attempt to make the blog more useful, I added a calendar application to the blog (hopefully it is visible above)? Please let me know what races/events you plan to do and I will add them to the calendar so it can be a resource to you and all TRY members as to what races are when.

So far I have:

Mountain Goat Training Runs

Mountain Goat Race

Making Tracks For Celiacs Walk/Run

Relay For Life

Chase Corporate Challenge

Boilermaker

TRY Begins and Mountain Goat Training Runs

I have some fun and useful updates planned, but they will have to wait a week or two.

For this week, I'll focus on just the timely issues:

The first group TRY run is this Tuesday. 5:30 start time at the Wegman's playground end of Onondaga Lake Park. Plan on running between 3 and 5 miles, to be determined by who shows up and what their plans are. (You can always do you own thing.)

This Saturday morning, the Mountain Goat training runs start. Check here for a training plan, FAQs and a waiver form that you can fill out ahead of time. That group run will be 5 to 5.5 miles, but I intend to do the entire course (about 9.5 miles to and from the MOST). If you are ready for that, capable of running 9-11 minutes miles, and willing wait for the slowest member, let me know and join in. (Bring a drink to carry, since we will be beyond all but one of the drink stations set up.)

I hope to see a bunch of you this week!

Winter Update

Random "mid"-winter notes and thoughts, from the mind of raving lunatic.

1) Anyone want to cross-county ski this Saturday morning? I think the snow will hold up at Highland Forest and we'll be able to go there. $3 if you have skis, $13-$18 if you need to rent, depending on how long you want to ski for. (90 minutes for the $13 total price is usually enough for inexperienced skiers.) I promise to help beginners survive the day and lead you on a trail suitable to your skills. You can also rent snowshoes and downhill sled (BYOS) there. Link.

2) Anyone looking for a wintertime volunteer activity? I'm looking to sign a group up to volunteer at the New York State Special Olympics Winter Games. No idea what we would be assigned to do - anything from parking lots, to setting up/tearing down, to just being cheerleaders at the activities. The deadline is the 27th, so please let me know by the end of this week and I'll coordinate further before the deadline. The event itself is Feb 5-6. I'm planning to volunteer on Saturday the 6th, with an eye towards the skiing events at Highland Forest. Link to the games here. Or if you want to volunteer on your own here. If we get enough people, I think they would assign us a group, if not, then we may get split up. Come out and help support some of those in our community that can't do what we take for granted every moment of every day. (For you LMCOers - one of the poster children is our concierge's nephew...and she is the person who put the mention of this event in our in brief emails. She helped me set up at the Relay for Life event last summer so I'm hoping to repay her a little at her event.)

3) A reminder that there are a few winter races (and spring races) coming up:
a) Snowshoe race at Beaver Lake on January 30th. (5K)
b) Chilly Chili 5k in Cazenovia on February 7th. (You'll have to somewhat rush to your Super Bowl parties after that -- but you'll be able to chow down guilt free.)
c) All you lonely hearts, pay attention to this one! The "Cupid's Chase" 5K run at the Liverpool park on February 13th. It mentions it is "...the best way to make a love connection in the new year." So, for those in need of a love connection, you know where to go. You're welcome, and please, quit asking me out on dates! I'm not interested. And for me, I'm wondering what the heck that means? Are they going to do something unique at the race? (There is a "skirt chaser" series of races gaining popularity where women get a head start and the men are supposed to [try to] run them down. [Timewise, not literally run them down] I wonder if there is some quirk in this event for them to make such a bold statement.)
d) Tipperary Hill 4 Miler (Shamrock Run) on March 6th
e) And the Mountain Goat is looming (10 miler on May 2nd). Only 2 months til the training runs start! I have in my mind to do the entire course every week, so if you want to join in for that, be ready to run 10 hilly miles by March 20th.
f) Other winter races are around the area as well. There is always a link to the Fleet Feet running calendar on the side of the blog.
g) Some TRYers are already training for the Boston (Katie's bona-fide!) and Cleveland marathons, so they are skipping their winter hibernation. Join in if you are looking for running partners. (Information available on request.)

Miscellaneous stuff that you may not know:
1) Beaver Lake has moonlight skiing and snowshoeing coming up in the next several days and stay open til 9 (9:30?) under the light of the fullish moon. (I may set up a group for that some night -- people have to let me know if they want in. Snowshoe rentals are available there, skis are not.) They'll do that again in late February around the full moon.
2) You can cross-country ski anywhere there is snow, of course, but they have trails/tracks available at the Erie canal parks in various places, at Long Branch Park, at Oneida Shores, at Green Lakes State Park (free to get in this time of year), Beaver Lake, Highland Forest, golf courses, etc... So for those looking for an inexpensive alternative to running outside, cross-country skiing really is an excellent choice. (Ok, so you have to buy the equipment, but after that its very cheap outings.) If there isn't enough snow around Syracuse itself, there are multiple places north of here within an hours drive that always have plenty of snow. If you want to try before you buy, Highland Forest has rentals and I've heard a rumor that EMS has rentals as well. (The northern places have rentals as well. Salmon Hills (This page says it's closed!!!?? can anyone confirm that for me?) and Osceola ski center.
3) I thought there was a third thing you may not know, but I guess not. You are very smart people! You only don't know two things. That's amazing, actually!

This gets it's own paragraph -- The Relay For Life event is June 18th and 19th. So, for those who want to do it, block it off. (For all you planners out there that actually commit to things more than 2 days ahead of time! But, don't forget my credo - "Indecision is the key to flexibility!" Or, "Why commit to something today, that you may not feel like doing tomorrow?").

Last Week of the Year

Even though the weather is still cooperating for a while, this will be the last TRY weekly "yog" of the year. (Cars and Lights on the Lake will take over the park for the next month.) The plan for tonight is to meet at 5:30 at the Liverpool park to walk (or run if you want to) under the lights on the lake on the "Dog Walk" night. Refreshments for humans and dogs are available for sale. At least a couple TRYers will be bringing their dogs. Come join in for a festive finale and bring along a four legged friend. (Or if you don't have any four legged friends -- bring your dog instead!) We'll coordinate the walkers/runners once we see who makes it tonight. Call my cell phone if its hard to find people in the dark.

Don't forget about the Topricin Worst Race Photo Contest! Entries are submittable for another week. As of this weekend there were only 12 entries and a couple of the examples I posted last week, here, would be in the top five "worst". Also, there are still very few people registered to vote, so if one of us can find a really awful looking photo, there would be a decent chance of winning the prize. ($100 - $200? value for winning, so its worth digging for that lousy race photo that you hate of yourself.)

This past weekend was a great race weekend for TRY. Two first time marathon finishes, one first time half-marathon finish, one marathon PR, and one 5K PR! Good job everyone! (Well, everyone, except for me.) Congratulations on going farther and faster than you ever have before. :-) All your hard work this summer and fall paid off. I am very proud of all of you!

Enjoy the rest of the year everyone! Posting/emails will be sparse through the winter...see you all (with perhaps some new recruits) come spring time.

Christmas Lights and a Contest

Next week there are two chances to walk/run through the Liverpool Lights on the Lake before it is opened up to vehicles.

Monday, the 23rd, is the Verizon Lights on the Lake Stroll.
Tuesday, the 24th, is the Verizon Lights on the Lake Dog Walk.

Both nights are open from 5-9 and you can buy refreshments, meet "holiday characters", and walk the 2 miles of the lights on the lake.

I am planning on TRYing to get a group to jog/walk on Tuesday night, starting at 5:30. Please let me know if you plan to make it and we can coordinate a holiday ending to the TRY running season. For those of you with dogs, it seems like that would be a fun night out with the pooch.

A great opportunity for you all was sent to me last week by Malinda -- the Topricin Race Photo Contest. They are asking for your worst race photos. Entries will receive a free sample of Topricin and the winner will receive a free 6 month supply of Topricin and the entry fee to their next race of choice. (Up to $150!) It is not completely set up yet, but to vote, you need to become a fan of Topricin on facebook (or use twitter). I just checked out their facebook site and became a fan and they only have 9 fans right now! So, it seems to me like this contest is prime for the picking. If one of us can come up with a really lousy race photo, I think we could easily overwhelm the voting and get a great prize for one of our members! (For those that don't know, Topricin is a homeopathic pain reliever that has helped a few of us through some injuries the last couple years. Malinda's father is a distributor/marketer and he and Malinda have both been very generous at giving Topricin to TRY members. So, please support this contest and check out the product some time if you need some pain relief -- it's basically the official pain reliever of TRY! And trust me, its much better than the sports creams that you are used to.) It's available online or in Wegmans (and I assume other local stores).

Don't forget about the Jingle Bell Run this Sunday (weather forecast looks warmish but with chance of rain) or the opportunity to donate to the cause.

Tonight: The last official TRY meeting of the year. Liverpool park at 4:30. 5 mile run with a 4 mile tempo for those looking for a harder workout.

Some inspiration - here are a few of my favorite TRY related race photos from the last couple years. Some are "bad", some look good. I need to go back and dig up some of my bad ones for the contest (normally I only save off the ones that were halfway decent). Please join in...it'll be fun if a few of us are competing and I hope that one of us has one lousy enough to end up the winner.

November Races

For those of you that want to end your running year with a race or two:

1) On Sunday, the 22nd, the Jingle Bell Run/Walk is being held at Long Branch Park. It used to be a 5k/10k at Onondaga Lake Park but they changed it this year. So, it's not the same exact event that I'm familiar with, but I assume it won't change the atmosphere much. If you didn't get enough use out of your striped tights at Halloween, now is your chance! Or if you have a dog and want to run a race with it, this is your chance! Put antlers on the pooch and bring it along. This is the only local race that I've ever had to dodge a dog in! It's a fun little event that a lot of people dress up festively for and we had a large TRY contingency at it last year. (I even traveled over 2000 miles to participate myself.) At least 6 people from TRY that supported it will be out of town this year for the Philadelphia marathon/half marathon, so I'm hoping for some replacements. If anyone else feels guilty about bailing out on a fun, local race, join me in pledging one of our own. Malinda is taking up the torch (or would that be antlers?) and raising money this year. Please join her. Or support her if you can't end up running the race yourself. Donate to her here.

2) On Thanksgiving day, the Baldwinsville Turkey Trot takes place at Baker High School. I've never done this one and this year I'll be running in Watertown instead since I'll be home for the holiday. For anyone around Syracuse on Thanksgiving you may want to join in so that you can pig out guilt free the rest of the day. 5K and 10K options are available.

For tonight's group run -- we are meeting at 4:30 at the Liverpool park. The speed work will be full mile intervals.

Lastly --
My theory for why they don't have a Jingle Bell Run 10K anymore? I think Katie smoked the competition so badly last year that the competition committee canceled the event. (Now that is what I call bona-fide! Getting a whole race canceled! Nice work Katie.)